Lessons In Love
by yummynoyuugi
Summary: Yami is a principal at a local middle school. Yugi is a math teacher. Yami has been in love with Yugi since high school, but Yugi is afraid of rejection. Can Atem get Yugi to open up to him? Request for: yugixyamiyaoilover YAOI. Don't like? Don't care!
1. Chapter 1

Lessons in Love – Chapter one. (Sorry for the crappy title. I thought it fit)

Hey ya'll, it's me again. Here with a brand new YxYY story. This is a request fic for yugixyamiyaoilover. If you wanna find out why, go read Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Domino City. The answer lies in the reviews (I swear that isn't subliminal). The premise is simple. Yugi is a middle school teacher and Atem is the principal at the school. Atem has been trying to get a date with lil' Yugi-boy (Did I just do that? Shoot me) since they were sophomores in High School. But Yugi is afraid to let his guard down, afraid to get hurt. Will Atem finally be able to get a date with Yugi? Or will he be the one hurt?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Plus I am rubber and you are glue. Any lawsuit will bounce right off me and stick to you. Nyeh :P!

--WHO DRANK MAH KOOL AID--

Principal Aknam sat in his leather executive chair, bored out of his mind. It was a rather slow day in the school. No fights broke out, all his paperwork was done, and nobody seemed to be acting up. He hadn't had one visitor in his office today, and he didn't feel like doing his homework.  
Atem had way to much homework since he decided to go back to work on his PhD. Not that the classes were hard, he just had a lot of responsibilities at work. Whether he was at a board meeting or filing paperwork in the late hours of the night, he was busy.  
Atem could take a nap… or he could be productive and begin teacher evaluations. It was almost the designated time anyway, so why not start early. Reluctantly, he got up and picked up his evaluation forms. He decided his first evaluation would be in the band room.  
Atem told his secretary that he would be making his first evaluations today, and proceeded to walk to the band room. His thoughts began to drift as he wandered about the school, trying to remember which room belonged to the band. He began to think about his thesis. He needed something good, because his professor was a bit of a jerk. In his carelessness, Atem didn't see one of his young colleagues walking towards him.  
Without even realizing what was going on, Atem crashed into Yugi Mutou, his long time friend and crush. The impact sent both for them flying to the ground, Atem's briefcase bursting open.

"Ah! Sorry Yugi! I didn't see you there!" exclaimed Atem, trying to be as apologetic as could be.

"Ah, it's okay Mr. Aknam, it was my fault. I saw you coming," replied the smaller man.

"No need to apologize Yugi. And you know you can call me Atem, just because I'm your boss doesn't mean we aren't friends," said the superior with a wink.

"Ah… sorry Atem… just don't want to upset anyone… it being my first year and all. So what are you doing?"

"Beginning my teacher evaluations," Atem saw Yugi gulp at this. "Don't worry, you'll do fine. It's really just a formality. So what are you doing?"

"On my way back to my classroom, going to finish up my prep hour."

"Well, I'll let you be then. Have a nice day. We should hang out some time!" chuckled Atem as he walked towards the band room.

"Of course! I'd like that! Have a nice day sir!" Yugi yelled back, walking in the opposite direction.

--

Yugi made his way back to his math classroom. His mind was scattered when he ran into his old friend and new boss. He really did like Atem. I mean, who was he kidding? Atem was gorgeous! A beautifully tanned body, very nice facial features, a great build. He was so kind too!  
Yugi thought it was horrible that he had turned down Atem so many times. If it weren't for Yugi's stupid fear of rejection, who knows? He and Atem could possibly be married and living together. But Yugi felt vulnerable whenever he was around the tan boy.  
Yugi quickly shook the thought out of his head. He couldn't be distracted. He had to finish preparing for his 3rd Period Geometry class. He quickly scrambled to find the proper pages and assignments, realizing he had wasted quite a bit of time.

--

Atem couldn't focus on the crappy music being played by the band. He couldn't get the thoughts of Yugi out of his head. He had adored this boy since he transferred to Domino in his sophomore year. Atem would go as far to say he was in love with Yugi. He always had been. Other guys and girls had tried to catch Atem's eye, but he could never get Yugi out of his head.  
Atem couldn't forget that day Yugi turned him down…  
(FLASHBACK. You can tell it is the past because it is in italics…)  
_"I'm sorry Atem. It's not that I don't like you… I just don't think I can trust anyone. The human race is a disgusting thing if you ask me. I… I do love you… but I don't know if I can trust you… if I can trust anyone… I hope you can understand…"  
_(OVER)  
Those words brought chills to Atem. There was a chance that Yugi did love him, but Yugi had a huge fear of rejection. He is afraid that if he were to get close to someone, he would end up heartbroken in the end. He'd never do anything to hurt Yugi of course, but Yugi couldn't be sure of that.  
Atem heard the music stop and quickly gave a respectful round of applause. He jotted some notes down, shook the teacher's hand and made his way back to his office. He needed some time to think by himself. He couldn't get that Amethyst eyed beauty out of his head…

--END CHAPTER--

Hope ya'll enjoyed it. This one is for you yugixyamiyaoilover! There will be more, I just need to think of it. Also, if you could be so kind and read/review my other stories, I will be very happy. And if I get reviews… I will let Yami go, isn't that right Yami?

Yami: Please do it! This man is insane!

Hush you! More later!


	2. Chapter 2

Lessons in Love – Chapter 2

Disclaimer: BLAH BLAH BLAH NO OWNERSHIP BLAH

Hey, going to keep it short and sweet in this author's note (That is what she had said). Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter. And to those who did not (You know who you are), for shame! It is really quite simple:

Reviews - Review Furnace - Fire Under Chair of Author - Author feels that fans want moar - new chapter.

So the more you review, the more ambition I will have to write. Very simple. Now on with the story.

--CHAPTER WILL BE STARTING IN 5… 4… 3…--

Yugi sat in his office grading his student's papers. Man he had some class A morons in his class. What was wrong? Was he not teaching the material properly? If that was the case, why were only a few people failing. He needed to get their grades up before his evaluation. It could be coming any day now.  
As he finished that thought, he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," said Yugi, wondering who it could be.

Much to his relief it was Jonouchi, his best friend since high school. Jonouchi was also the school's P.E. teacher.

"Oh hi Jou! What's up?" asked the small boy.

"Nothing, just bored. I'm on my prep hour, so I thought I'd stop by and have a chat with one of my favorite people," the blonde chuckled as he ruffled Yugi's hair.

"Oh. How are things with you and Seto?" asked Yugi.

"Great, never happier. And how are things with you and… your cat, right?"

"I had to put him down, he was getting senile. Poor little thing."

"Aw, I'm sorry Yug', I really liked the little fella. How have you been keeping yourself sane?"

"My work really, I've been swamped. Put that on top of paying for my apartment, car and student loans, I have very little time for anything."

"You know Yug', I've been thinking…"

"Oh God, here it comes."

"Why not? He's had nothing but adoration for you. He would do anything for you, to be with you. And I know you share the same feelings for him. Why not give him a chance Yugi?"

"I've told you Jou! I am absolutely terrified of letting my guard down. What if he decided that someone else was perfect and left me? Or for any other reasons! I can't handle that Jou! I'm weak, and you know this."

"Yugi, Atem wouldn't do that to you. I know that for a fact. I'm very close with him, and he loves you. When he saw that you had been hired at his school, he was ecstatic. He knew he wouldn't be seeing you much, but he felt good knowing you had a job and were in a safe neighborhood. He loves you Yugi, and you love him. I hate seeing you alone, you're my best friend. Just think about it."

"Alright Jou, I will. Better get back to your room, class is almost starting."

"Yeah, I guess. Have a nice day Yug'," said the blonde as he exited the room.

Yugi sat there and thought about what Jou had said. He was sick of being alone, and he always knew Atem would never hurt him. Maybe he would just have to let his guard down. He kept pondering this thought as he graded more papers.

--Elsewhere--

Atem sat at his desk looking over two tickets. They read "Michael Crawford in Concert: Seat E15" while the other one was the same, except the seat was E16. Atem wondered If he should ask, or just sell the tickets. Nothing had stopped him before, but he figured Yugi must have gotten sick of him. They were still pretty good friends, and kept in touch when they could. Be it a phone call every once and a while, or a gaming session on Xbox Live.  
Although, they had been talking less and less since Atem had begun work on his PhD. He figured that Yugi liked the silence. He had been pestering Yugi with his feelings since he transferred into Domino High his sophomore year. He knew it was love at first sight. He put the tickets back in his pocket and grabbed another set of evaluation forms. It was time for him to pay his good friend Katsuya a visit.

--CHAPTER ENDS HERE KTHX--

Well, I hope you enjoyed that short chapter. Had a bit of a brain fart personally, as I have some tests to take in a few hours. I'll be updating more frequently next week, as my schedule will change around making it easier to write. Anywho, hope you all approve. Reviews are nice, although a cat is fine too.


	3. Chapter 3

Lessons in Love – Chapter 3

A/N: Holy Sht on a Sht Sandwich. How long has it been since I updated? That long? Oh bugger. Well, I apologize for the lack of updates, but I have not had anytime to write. Why must real life get in the way of other things, stupid. Oh well, hope you like this latest update. Tis crap, but is the best I can do at the moment. Enjoy your craptastic fic.

Disclaimer: If I owned this series, this would all be canon, hm…

--SPRINGTIME FOR HITLER--

Katsuya was standing at his post in the gym. Around his sweat suit he wore a bright silver whistle. He was watching his Boy's P.E. class, making sure they were stretching properly. Once they had completed their trivial stretches, he blew his whistle.  
"Okay class! Today we're going to play a game," declared the blonde coach.  
This news made the class excited. A moment after Jou declared this, his good friend and boss Atem Aknam entered the gym with a sort of royal presence. Jou paid no attention to the new figure and continued addressing his class.  
"Today we will begin our section on… American Football!" exclaimed the boy, clearly excited to watch his students beat the living crap out of each other. The students merely groaned at this. They can't complain much, it was a lot better then the few weeks of wrestling they had to do. Jou ordered the class to split into two equal teams, but gave no specific instructions on how to do so. He loved chaos. Once they were occupied, he walked over to Atem.  
"Hey Atem, what's up bud?" asked the taller boy.  
"Nothing new. Working, dreaming, the usual," replied the tan boy with a shrug.  
"Ah, dreaming about that,"  
Atem blushed at this. Yes it was a known fact that he loved Yugi, but it still embarrassed him. His blush quickly faded once he gave the principal a pat on the back.  
"Don't worry man; I think I've finally been able to plant the seed in that knuckle head's skull. He's tired of being alone, I can tell. I've been friends with him since middle school (Screw the Canon), and he has always been like this. But I think he is finally starting to change," stated the blonde, trying to comfort his good friend.  
"I hope so. I just want to be with him, to comfort him. I think I'll ask him once more, tonight, after school,"  
"That's the spirit! Now I better get back to my class, what you evaluating and what not…"  
"Oh, this old thing? Don't worry about it, you pass. Have a great day!" responded the multi-color haired boy as he exited the gym. And with that, Jou blew his whistle and ran back to his class.

--AND GERMANY--

The bell rang at 2:15. Time for sixth period. And thank god for that. Yugi had grown tired of the morons in his math classes. He felt true pity for those who were in his class to learn, but half of them were nothing but a huge distraction, ruining his class. But luckily his sixth hour class was his best. Computer Programming Theory and Languages. Only people with a true interest in the class were admitted, as it was quite rigorous. He sped to his computer lab with a sort of hop in his step. He also began rehearsals for Drama Club after school. He loved the theater, and jumped at the possibility of directing a show for the school. But now to focus on the task at hand. He had a class to teach, and a tough class it was. Today they were going over the basics of the Object Oriented Paradigm, a very crucial subject.  
Yugi made it to the classroom in record time and began typing away at his keyboard. The bell rang and everyone was at their workstation. He turned on the projector and began his lecture. He was very happy to see so many students interested in technology. Maybe, if enough people like this existed, society isn't doomed after all. Once he finished his lecture, he told the students that he would working at his desk, and to ask him for help if they needed it.  
Once sitting down at his desk, he began to type away at his biggest project yet. "Codename Revolution" was an operating system Yugi had been working on since his senior year in high school. And what an operating system it was. After 7 or so years of development, it was nearly ready for a release.  
But Yugi could not focus today. There was something bothering him, a certain tan Adonis. Yugi felt horrible, wondering why he had rejected Atem so many times. He had become what he feared all along, and figured that being in Atem's shoes would be painful. Why had he been such a jerk, rejecting a boy who adored him from the moment the two met. They shared the same feelings, but why couldn't Yugi let his guard down.  
While these thoughts danced in Yugi's head, his imagination took over. He entered into a dream where he and Atem was a happy couple. The two of them sat around Atem's living room, cuddling under a nice quilt in front of a toasty fireplace. Yugi felt safe, secure in his lover's embrace. He looked up at the man who held him so close to his heart. He seemed to mouth the words "I Love You". The lover's lips locked for a warm, tender moment.  
Yugi's wonderful daydream was broken with an inquiry from one of his pupils.  
"Mr. Mutou, I have a question on inheritance."  
"Oh? What is it?" asked the teacher, cursing the boy for ruining his lovely dream.  
"Well, if I were to write a class, say ClassA, and have a class, ClassB, inherit from ClassA, would I have to redefine the deconstructor ?"  
"Well, it doesn't have to be defined at the next level. As long as the deconstructor is able to clean up the proper data you can use the base classes function," replied the teacher.  
The student thanked his teacher and returned to his computer. Yugi drifted back into his fantasy world, pondering the idea of a relationship between the two of them.

--HEIL MYSELF!--

Well, that was chapter 3. God I love this fic, but I think it is crap. What do you all think? You COULD leave your thoughts in a review… just a thought…

Well, I hope I will be able to update more often. One update every other day would be nice (But unlikely. What can I say, I am lazy!)

Enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: GAH! I'M SO SO SO SORRY! I haven't updated this in MONTHS, and I feel really bad about it. Before you draw and quarter me, allow me to defend myself. My laptop died way back when and I haven't had any time or privacy to sit down and write. Mea Culpa. But without further ado, the story continues.

--------------------------

Atem sat at his desk thinking. Should he pester Yugi once again? Should he put strain on his friendship? He sighed deeply, looking back at his monitor. It read "Two Tickets for Michael Crawford: Live In Concert.". He'd gotten the tickets from Seto. The Kaiba Corporation owns the theater that Mr. Crawford is performing at, so Seto gave Atem two tickets to the show, as Michael Crawford was Atem's favorite singer.  
Atem stared at the screen long. He paused for a second, then clicked print and printed the tickets. He told his secretary that he'd be back in a while, and not to touch his desk. He had something he needed to do.

---------------------------

Yugi sat in the auditorium, taking notes on what his cast was doing. They were rehearsing for the school's production of Stephen Sondheim's Assassins, and things were going well. Yugi decided that they knew what they were doing, set his pencil down and began to think.  
"Why am I always shooting down Atem," thought the boy, "I-I love him. I know this. But every time he's asked me, I try with all my might to say 'OH GOD YES!', but it came out 'I'm sorry Atem… I can't'"  
Yugi's chain of thought was snapped when the bells and whistles sounded from the theater's sound system.  
"Looks like they just killed Garfield," Yugi thought with a chuckle. He sat back and watched the show run its course, not noticing the man entering the auditorium. He stood up and shouted to the stage.  
"Very good guys! I want you to go ahead and do Another National Anthem. After that we'll talk about notes and call it a day"  
And with that the cast resumed rehearsals. Yugi sat back down in his chair, not noticing the new figure in the chair next to him.  
"Very impressive Yugi," Atem whispered in a deep, baritone voice  
"Gah! Atem! You scared me!" a startled Yugi whimpered.  
"I'm sorry Yugi. I just wanted to see how things were going here."  
"Everything's great Atem… listen… there's something I need to talk to you about..."  
"Is something the matter Yugi? Is there anything I can do?"  
"Well… it's about us…"  
"Oh? What's on your mind?"  
"Well… I've been thinking lately… I've been horrible too you in the past… always shooting down you're requests… rejecting you… it's not fair…"  
"What're you trying to say Yugi?"  
"I guess…" Yugi paused with a gulp, "I'm saying that… I'm more open to being in a relationship now. I think it's time I matured and… opened up…"  
"Is that so? Well, I wanted to come and ask you a question. "  
"Oh? Wh-what is it…"  
"Michael Crawford is performing this weekend… and I have two tickets, fifth row, center aisle. I was wondering if you'd want to go with me to the performance…"  
"Oh Atem… I…"  
"I understand Yugi. I'm sorry to have bothere-"  
"I'd love to go…"  
Atem paused at this. Had he heard the petite object of his affection right?  
"Are you sure Yugi?" He asked, pondering.  
"Do you mean a date Atem? If so… I'd love to go with you…"  
"Yes… I do"  
"What time is the concert at?"  
"Eight O'Clock PM, Friday Night."  
"Would you mind coming to my apartment at around 6 for dinner?"  
"I'd… I'd love to Yugi."  
"Then it's a date," Yugi responded, giving his signature smile.  
"Great. I've got some work to do, but I'll talk to you tomorrow?"  
"Of course!"  
"Great," replied Atem as he began to exit the theater.  
"Oh, and Atem?"  
"Yes, Yugi?"  
"What about my evaluation? I'd like to get that done soon…"  
"Oh, that? You passed."  
"B-but…"  
"Jou didn't tell you? Those are just a technicality," Atem replied with a wink. "Have a great night, Yugi"  
"Bye Atem," the amethyst eyed angel replied. And with that the taller man was gone. Yugi melted in the seat. Had he really done that? He was actually going on a date with Atem Aknam. His boss! He also felt quite relieved that he didn't have to worry about his evaluation. With that, he picked up his pencil and began doodling as he watched his students sing their hearts out.  
"You can always get your dream," the student playing John Wilkes Booth sang out as he exited the stage. For the first time, Yugi understood what that lyric meant.

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Wow! Mea Maxima Culpa. That was crap. I made you wait months for THAT? Please do not flog me! I am getting a new laptop soon, so I should be able to punch out chapters like a mother. I also have plans for other stories, and possibly some crossovers between Yu-Gi-Oh and some of my other favorite series.

As always, leave comments and suggestions in reviews. Hope you enjoy!


	5. Chapter 5

Well, I guess it's time for another update… I guess… whatever.

I'm also thinking about writing a crossover fic. I've narrowed it down to Yu-Gi-Oh and:  
1. Kingdom Hearts  
2. Dragonball Z  
3. Ouran High School Host Club  
4. Sonic The Hedgehog

My job for you reviewers: Pick a series that you'd like to see me write a crossover for. Or if you object, voice it in the reviews.

I must also apologize for the length of the last chapter. Writer's Block + Brain Fart = Low Quality. Mea Maxima Maxima Culpa. Now, on with el fic-o

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Yugi woke up in a cold sweat. Why was this happening again? He had another nightmare, the first in months. It was always the same nightmare too. It's always seen from a third person point of view. He recalls his parent's last fight as a childhood, the one that caused his father to leave. He vividly remembers the cold stinging words shouted by his father, and then he watches his ten year old self stand at the kitchen door without a clue. Just watching as his father grabs a suitcase and leaves. He remembers what his father said right before ending the argument: "We were great until we had _that_ kid."  
Ever since that incident, Yugi had shut himself off from most people. He had faced the ultimate rejection. His own father didn't even want him. Why would anyone else? His mother constantly told him it wasn't his fault, but he never believed her.  
Until Atem came around. Damn that boy. Yugi had never opened up to many people, save his best friend Jou. Jou had experienced a similar childhood, so he and Yugi connected. But Yugi never opened to anyone else, nor did he want to. He was quite content being good friends with Jou. But Atem, well he was different. Yugi tried so hard to become close with Atem, but every time he tried to open up, he found some way to stop himself.  
Yugi arose from his bed, the stinging thoughts of his childhood making him dizzy. He never took stress well, it always made him sick. Yugi glanced over at his clock. 2:58 AM. Oh how he hated late night disturbances. He walked into his living room, turning on his desk light.  
Taking a seat, Yugi began to pour over his various stacks of paperwork. Assignments to be graded, bills, notes, lesson plans, bills, design notes, bills, and more bills. Man was he in debt. He was always strapped for cash, but he somehow managed to make ends meet. Whether it was a programming commission here, a grant there, he found extra sources for income.  
Yugi began looking through his teacher's address book. He needed to talk to someone. Jou? No… last time he called at this time he… interrupted… Seto and Jou. He stopped at a page. Atem Aknan. On it was written a note: If you ever need to talk, Yugi, call me. Yugi stared at the phone for a moment… thinking…

--------------

Atem sat in his grand study, sipping a glass of red wine as he read through some of his textbooks. He'd been studying for his PhD in history, but hadn't had time to do any homework lately. His duties as principal made him very busy. He was usually in bed by this time of the night, but a amethyst angel was stuck on his mind. He had spent about two hours, tossing and turning, his head full of thoughts surrounding the beautiful boy.  
So he decided to put his insomnia to more productive use. He had been taking a class in Egyptology, and his professor, Maxamillion Pegasus, had asked him to study Arabic, as he was joining the Pegasus and some other scholars on an expedition in a few months. Atem was hard at work, reading and studying the different texts that had been assigned to him.  
His concentration was broke when he heard his telephone go off.  
"Who could be calling at this hour?" thought the boy, as he walked over to his rotary style phone. He picked up the offending device.  
"Hello?" he said, with a questioning tone.  
"Hey Atem… It's Yugi…", replied the voice on the other line.  
"Oh hey Yugi! What are you doing up so late?"  
"Oh… nothing… I just can't sleep… sorry if I woke you."  
"No, not at all. I'm just doing some late night reading. What seems to be on your mind?"  
"Oh nothing… just needed someone to talk to…"  
"Okay. What do you want to talk about?"  
"I dunno… what are you reading?"  
"I'm studying Arabic. I need to know it for my trip to Egypt this summer. I'm going as part of my PhD class."  
"Oh yeah? Egypt is really cool. I went once with my grandfather back in college."  
"Oh? You never told me that."  
"It never came up."  
"True. So what do you have planned for tomorrow?"  
"Well, for my math classes I've planned a pop quiz over our last unit… and for programming I've… ugh… can you excuse me for a moment …"  
"Sure…" Atem replied unsurely. The next noise he heard was the phone dropping to the floor. The next sound was what appeared to be a very small boy in horrible pain, combined with some rather… unpleasant sounds… Atem continued to sip his wine and listen in discomfort. Was Yugi really… throwing up? A few minutes passed and the younger boy returned.  
"Atem I'm so sorry, I-"  
"Are you okay Yugi? That sounded… painful…"  
"I'm so sorry… I just… I hope you don't think I'm disgusting…:  
"No Yugi, not at all. I wish I could do something for you. You sound horrible"  
"Oh, I'll be fine. As I was saying, in Programming we're-"  
"YUGI!"  
"Yes Atem?"  
"You're not going into work tomorrow! Not after what I just heard. I'm going to call a sub in for you."  
"But Atem…"  
"No buts! You need to go to sleep. If you come into school tomorrow I will send you home."  
"O-okay Atem."  
"Get well Yugi."  
"Thanks Atem…. I'll miss you tomorrow."  
"I'll miss you to. Sleep tight."  
"'Night." And with that, Atem heard a click on the other line. He put the phone back on it's receiver and began to think. He sipped his wine as he thought. What if Yugi isn't better by Friday? It was now Thursday after all. Atem glanced over at the clock. 4:00 AM. He had to be up for work by 5:00. Looks like he wasn't sleeping tonight. He decided to begin to get ready for the day. He had quite a lot to do, so why not get a early start?

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Well, slowly but surely I'm working on this story. Dunno how that chapter feels yet. But whatever. What did ya'll think? Comments? Suggestions? Also, let me know what you think of a crossover. I want to know what my readers think.


	6. Chapter 6

Wow. Another Update? Seriously? I'm on fire. If only the content was good… Hm…

Well, I'm thinking I might rock a Crossover soon. Not going to be any of the series I mentioned, as my muse back handed me with an idea involving a Puppyshipping plot. It'll be good. I swear…

Anyways, on with the fic you seem to enjoy for whatever reason.

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Yugi woke up at 9:30 AM feeling much better. He told Atem he wasn't sick, but nope. He had to stay home. Atem was just looking out for his best interest. He threw his silk pajamas onto the bathroom floor, as he stumbled in his shower. After he fell back to sleep he had some… nice… dreams about a certain tan colleague. He'd have to clean himself up after a night like that. He hadn't had this happen since he was in high school. God he felt dirty.  
Upon exiting the shower, Yugi toweled off and began to prepare for the day. He had the day off thanks to his nerves. He wasn't sick, it was just that every time he got stressed or nervous, like after that nightmare, he vomited. Horribly. He couldn't explain why, it just happened. He was still embarrassed that Atem had to hear that. He hoped it didn't freak out his friend.  
As Yugi wrapped the towel around his waist, he heard his buzzer go off. He rushed over to answer the visitor.  
"Who could be visiting this early?" thought the boy. He approached the buzzer. "Hello?"  
"I've got a delivery for one Yugi Muto," replied the man on the other line.  
"Sure… let me buzz you up," Yugi replied cautiously. He hadn't ordered anything recently. No more then a few minutes had passed and there was a knock on the door.  
"Yugi Muto?" the delivery man asked.  
"Yes…"  
"Sign here," he replied, handing Yugi a clipboard.  
"Okay…" Yugi replied, reluctantly signing. "What is the delivery?"  
"Here," the brute replied, shoving a vase full of flowers into Yugi's arms, He recovered the clipboard from Yugi and left the apartment as quick

_Yugi,  
I'm terribly sorry to hear you're sick.  
I hope you are well by tomorrow.  
Get well  
With Love,  
Atem_

Yugi stared at the card for a moment. He started to choke at the thought. Atem sent him a nice arrangement of flowers, just for a flu virus. It was very... thoughtful. Yugi put the flowers in the middle of his dinner table. He returned to the bathroom to finish preparing for the day. He had to make sure that he gave Atem the best date he could…

----------------

Atem sat at his desk, staring at his monitor. He hadn't had one issue today. Not one bad student, not one parent complaint, not one disgruntled teacher. It was, for the first time in weeks, quiet. He stared at his Psychology textbook. Oh how he loathed that book. He could be good and study for his class that night. Or he could sneak out on "School Business" and buy himself a new suit for tomorrow's date with Yugi. The latter option sounded better. He could be back by lunch if he rushed. And with that, Atem told his secretary to hold all calls while he was away. And with that he was off to the mall.

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Yugi walked around the department store, looking for something decent to wear to tomorrow's concert. It was Michael Crawford, his favorite singer, after all. He had to look nice. He was planning on buying himself a nice, blue, three piece suit. Sure it would set him back quite a bit, but it'd be worth it. Who knows, maybe he'd get to wear it on other dates…  
Yugi was snapped out of his daydream when he heard a familiar baritone voice. Yugi realized Atem was shopping in the same store. But why? It was in the middle of the school day. Still, Yugi couldn't let Atem see him out and about. He was supposed to be in bed. He quickly grabbed the stunning suit he had been looking at and jumped into the nearest dressing room. Yugi couldn't let Atem find him. How would he explain everything? A few moments later, a knock was heard on the door.  
"Is anyone in there?" Atem inquired.  
"Um… occupied," Yugi replied, trying to mask his voice the best he could.  
"Oh, my apologies…"  
Yugi took a sigh of relief…  
"Wait… Yugi?"  
Dammit. He was caught.  
"Y-y-yes?" he stuttered.  
"Care to come out?" replied the taller boy. Yugi complied, looking as sheepish as ever.  
"Y-yes Atem?"  
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in bed?"  
"Well… I was feeling a lot better… so I decided to take care of some shopping…"  
"I see… what are you buying?"  
"A suit…"  
"Oh?," Atem said, beginning to examine the suit. He pondered, cleared his throat and began to give his analysis.  
"I think it is a very nice suit. What do you plan on wearing with it?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"A tie? Or a cravat? There are options."  
"Oh, I was thinking a simple tie…"  
"Sounds great. Well I must be off, I have to take care of some things…"  
"Wait!" exclaimed the younger boy, stopping his boss in his tracks.  
"Yes?"  
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work? Hm?"  
"… I… have things to take care of…"  
"Work related?"  
"There is a slight possibility. I must be going now…"  
"Hey Atem?"  
"Yes, Yugi?" the boy replied, glancing back at his friend.  
"Thanks for the flowers. They really cheered me up…"  
"Don't mention it. You deserve more." And with that, Atem bolted to the other side of the store. Yugi looked back at his suit, walking towards the check out counter. He was beginning to feel very good about accepting Atem's invite. Once he had paid for the suit, he glanced at his shopping list. He still had to buy groceries for tomorrow night's dinner. He wanted to repay Atem for all the kindness he had shown him over the years, and an excellent dinner was a good start…

----------

Well, there is another chapter for ya. Hope you enjoyed it. If not feel free to voice your complaints in the reviews. I think I finally have a good idea of where this story is going, so expect quite a bit from it in the next few months.

Maybe I can go faster then that…


	7. Chapter 7

Oh wow… I was writing a Fic. That's right. It's been about two years since I've updated, but hey, it can't hurt can it?

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I'm just a poor College Student.

* * *

Yugi returned to his apartment, placing his bags on the table, looking down at his receipts with an exaggerated sigh. Why was he having so much trouble making ends meet? He had a decent paying job, with an affordable apartment. And yet, between paying for student loans, his car, rent, and groceries, he was having a hard time staying afloat. He walked to the kitchen, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge, leaning on a counter while he tried to think. He stared up at the ceiling, letting his mind wander.

His mind drifted, from finances, to lesson plans, eventually landing on Atem. A dark blush crept across the frail man's face. Why was it that every time he thought of Atem he was reduced to a blubbering pile of goo? He sighed, wondering what tomorrow night held for him. Would Atem like the dinner he made? Would he look nice? How would the concert go? He imagined, after the show, himself and Atem walking along the Domino boardwalk, his head resting on Atem's strong shoulders. He sighed, knowing that tomorrow was going to be heavenly.

A loud knock on the door interrupted Yugi's daydream, causing him to sweat a bit. He only knew one person who knocked so violently. It was his landlord, no doubt wondering why the rent check was late… and short about fifty dollars.

"Just a minute!" The man shouted, trying to regain his composure. He hung his suit on the coat rack, opening the door. "Hello?"

The landlord was a middle aged man, balding, dressed in sweatpants and a white wife beater, questionable stains splattered all over the white fabric. He was ugly and scary. Yugi hated him with a passion, but that's mainly because Yugi was always in trouble with him.

"Muto… why is this check short fifty bucks?" The older man scowled, his face showing displeasure. Yugi gulped.

"I'm still waiting on my next paycheck… I'll pay you the full amount on Saturday… with a little bit of interest…" He whimpered, obviously intimidated by the man. The man shook his head, frowning.

"This is the third time Muto… what do you expect me to do? This ain't a homeless shelter. You pay your rent, or your out on your ass…" The man frowned, being blunt with Yugi. Yugi puffed his chest up, trying to defend himself.

"This is only the second time I've been late… and I hardly think it's…"

"Shaddup!" The crude man shouted, cutting Yugi off. "You've shorted me in the past though. That counts. You owe us a hundred bucks by Saturday. If I don't have it, you're out on your ass!"

Yugi nodded sheepishly, watching the man storm out of the room, slamming the door shut. Yugi walked over, collapsing on the couch, defeated. How was he going to come up with one hundred dollars by Saturday? He had about sixty dollars in his bank account, and payday wasn't for another week. He felt tears start to form in his eyes. Why was it so hard? Atem wasn't having trouble…

Yugi looked over at his coffee table, smiling at the flowers sitting there. Atem. He was a strong individual. Why couldn't Yugi be more like him? The boy stood up, wiping the tears from his eyes, looking around. He'd find a way to handle it. He could always avoid putting gas in his car for the week, or go a day without eating.

The young man stood up, walking over to his kitchen with a proud smile, before staring down at his stack of mail, his shoulders slumping. Bills, and lots of them. He collapsed on the floor, the papers falling on top of his tri-colored hair, a pout on his face.

"It's hopeless…." He sighed.

Atem returned to his desk, sitting down, sighing. He was incredibly excited about his date with Yugi. He'd been waiting for this moment for years, and it was finally happening. He looked at his tickets again, smiling. It was going to be amazing, he could just feel it.

His happy thoughts were interrupted by his homely secretary, who was standing at his door, a letter in her hand. His eyes met hers, a forced smile. She usually had some annoying news for him.

"Yes?" The tanned man asked, wondering what she wanted.

"Mr. Muto's sub had an emergency and had to go home. We need someone to cover him." She replied, an annoyed look on her face.

"Pull a sub from another class then."

"We can't, they're all occupied…"

Atem paused for a moment, looking over his schedule then up to her.

"I'll take the class." He said, knowing that it couldn't be that hard. YYugi must have left a lesson plan, right? The secretary rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you say sir. I'll tell them you're coming"

Atem nodded, putting his jacket back on. It would be good to get back into the class room. It had been a while since he'd taught anything.

* * *

Well there's another chapter. I hope people will actually read it. I know two years is too long to wait for an update, but hopefully that will change.


End file.
